Abuela and Rock Child were in Abuela’s house far away from the Rock Child’s home and village. The Rock Child was quiet and sad. Abuela was concerned, “What’s the matter little rock?”

“I miss Mother Stone and Father Stone! On nights like this the Rock People gather to tell stories under the moonlight.” The Rock Child’s lip quivered. Abuela’s heart saddened, then she thought of an idea, “How about we go outside under the moonlight and tell stories? Maybe you could tell me a story about your people?” The Rock Child was so excited it rolled around and around until Abuela burst out laughing.

“Follow me,” said Abuela and the Rock Child followed her all the way into the garden. They found just the right spot amongst the rocks. The rock garden was aglow in the moonlight. Abuela sang, “Madre Casa. Madre Casa. Mother Home. Mother Home.” She stopped singing and the Rock Child knew that was a cue to start telling a story. It went something like this:

Once upon a time there was a village of Rock People, some were small stones and others were gigantic boulders. The Rock People loved the moon because she illuminated their faces and made them all appear beautiful.

“We look like angels!” cried Rock Brother.

“Stone angels!” giggled Rock Sister.

“Let’s play Moon Hide n’ Seek!” shouted Rock Brother.

“Can’t catch me!” yelled Rock Sister as she rolled into the shadows and hid. Rock Brother began to hum a low-pitched song, the sort that the Rock People are known for. His song caught Grandmother Moon’s attention and she turned to face him. Everywhere he walked looking for Rock Sister he sang. Everywhere he walked and sang, Grandmother Moon followed him, shining her brilliant light like a lantern. Grandmother Moon shone so bright that she illuminated Rock Sister and revealed her hiding place in the bushes!

“There you are!” shouted Rock Brother. “You’re it!”

“That’s not fair!” grumbled Rock Sister.

“Fair or not, it’s my turn!” said Rock Brother then he rolled away to find an even better hiding spot. Rock Sister counted, 10-9-8… 3-2-1! Ready or not, here I come!” But before she rolled away to look for her brother, Rock Sister gazed up at Grandmother Moon. She smiled so bright, the moonlight lit up Rock Sister’s face. Rock Sister’s face was glowing so bright that indeed she did look like an angel! Her face glowed so brightly that Rock Brother couldn’t help it. He just had to see it! He rolled out of hiding!

“I see you!” shouted Rock Sister. “You’re it!”

“That’s not fair!” grumbled Rock Brother. Rock Mother and Rock Father heard all the grumbling and decided to play.

“You two hide and we’ll seek,” said Rock Mother.

Rock Sister and Rock Brother rolled away. Rock Brother whispered to Grandmother Moon, “Please hide with us, so Mother and Father can’t find us right away.” Grandmother Moon smiled her radiant smile then hid behind the clouds. Mother Stone and Father Stone chuckled, “There’s nothing like Hide n’ Seek by the light and shadow of the Moon.”

Chester was almost in kindergarten and a big boy. He loved everything loud: loud music, loud talking, and loud playing. If it was loud, Chester loved it. Chester also loved to stay busy, from the moment he woke up to the moment he reluctantly went to bed, he was busy. Chester was busy stacking blocks and knocking them down with his trucks. He was busy building railroad tracks and tiny, faerie houses. Chester was busy reading books and playing monster tag with the older kids in the neighborhood. Chester loved being loud and busy so much that when his Mother told him it was quiet time and time for a nap, Chester hid. He hid behind the pile of storage boxes in the garage. Mother had to go to work, so Grandmother, the babysitter had to find Chester.

“Ready or not here I come!” Chester heard Grandma’s voice and came running out to greet her. He gave her a great, big hug:

“Hi Nana! Want to play?”

“How about we read a story in your room with the lights out?” suggested Grandma.

Chester frowned. Grandma’s voice lifted with excitement. “You’ll want to be rested so you can get up early for a special surprise.”

“Surprise?” asked Chester. He was eager to find out what it was. Grandma smiled her big, warm smile.

“Yes. We are going to get up very early to watch a lunar eclipse. Your Mother will be with us too.”

“What’s a lunar lip?”

“Lunar eclipse. When the moon passes through the earth’s shadow. Do you want me to read you a story about it?” Chester nodded. Grandma started to read. Usually the rhythm of her voice lulled Chester to sleep, but not today. Chester was too excited to sleep.

“Let’s make some moon cookies, quietly,” suggested Grandma. Chester was happy with that, as long as he didn’t have to nap. By the time Mother came home after dinner, Chester was yawning and ready for bed. He made Grandma promise that she would wake him early so he could see the lunar eclipse. She promised.

Grandma didn’t have to wake up Chester. He woke up right at 4:30am, like he had a built-in alarm clock. He bumped into Grandma in the hallway. She was on her way to wake him.

“Surprise!” he shouted. “Shh!” whispered Grandma. Mother yawned as she met them in the hallway. Dad was still sleeping, so the three of them had to tiptoe outside. Behind their house was a small hill. Chester, Mother and Grandma walked halfway to the top. Grandma spread out a blanket and the three of them sat down. It was very exciting for Chester because it was still dark out. He could see the stars,

“Look! The Big Dipper!” He knew the Big Dipper because it was in his star book. “Look!” “There’s the Moon! It’s wearing a blanket!” shouted Chester.

Mother and Grandmother both said: “Shh!” and smiled. Grandma poured hot chocolate out of a thermos and the three of them huddled together under a big, comfy blanket.

“Tell a story Grandma,” insisted Chester.

“Once upon a time Moon was young.” began Grandma.

“Is she young now Grandma?” asked Chester.

“Oh no, she is a Grandmother like me. Once she was but a young moon, and she loved more than anything to shine brightly.”

“Like the top of her is right now?” asked Chester.

“Yes. The trouble is she wanted to shine, shine, shine all the time.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Chester wanted to know.

“Well, you see, the moon needs to rest just like children otherwise she gets very tired.” Chester frowned. Grandmother continued:

“Now Moon had a Mother, and that Mother knew that Moon needed to shine some of the time, and rest some of the time, so she came up with a plan. Moon’s Mother asked the earth to throw a blanket over Moon when she wasn’t looking. The earth agreed. So one night when Moon was shining especially bright, the earth moved in front of her and threw a blanket on top of her.

“Like the one she has right now?” asked Chester as he stared at Moon half covered by a shadowy blanket.

“Yes, like the one she has now. No sooner had the blanket covered her, then Moon began to get verrry sleepy. She yawned a big yawn. Her Mother sang her a song, and Moon’s great big eyes began to droop, she pulled the blanket right over her head and fell fast asleep. And that is how Moon learned that sometimes you need to rest so you have energy to shine brightly.”

Chester didn’t hear Grandma’s last words, “Goodnight Grandmother Moon,” because he was busy dreaming of moons and blankets while curled up in his Mother’s arms.

The very next day Chester was playing with his toy dog, and frog. Frog wanted to play jump frog but Dog wanted to nap, so Chester told them the story of Grandmother Moon’s Blanket. He snuggled next to them, and pulled the blanket right over their heads, just like Grandmother Moon they were soon fast asleep.

That night while Sharah slept on one side of the pool, a lone Mother Bear was on the other side of the pool talking to Grandmother Moon. With all her heart, she wanted a child to love. “Grandmother Moon, can you bring me a child to hug and love?” said Mother Bear. Grandmother Moon said nothing, but smiled. She sent a moon beam down to Mother Bear, and Mother Bear followed that moon beam all the way to the other side of the pool. To her amazement, sleeping in the grass, at pools edge was a child. Mother Bear embraced Sharah and her heart filled with joy and love. Sharah slept all night long in the warm arms of her new mother. Mother Bear slept all night long with her child nuzzled in her arms. When they awoke, much to Sharah’s surprise, and the mother bear’s delight, Sharah was a bear cub! (To be continued)

Once there was a child who did not have a home. She did not have a mother or a father. She did not have a house, or a people. She was alone. She hid inside hollow trees, ate roots and berries. She howled with the coyotes at night and laughed with the ducks in the afternoons. She knew her name, for the wind whispered it to her. The wind called her Sharah, one who shares herself. Sharah loved to dance in the moonlight by the pool. She loved to admire the stars. One moonlit night she called up to Grandmother Moon, “Grandmother, can you please find me a home and my people, so that I may know where I belong.” Grandmother moon said nothing, but smiled upon this homeless child who had the courage to ask for what she wants. (To be continued.)

Mother and father gathered their children and hurried to the Gathering Hut where all the villagers met. The leader of the village was Terra, a matriarch, and a woman of wisdom. Her face was clouded with concern. “The elders of Atwon have spoken of this day for some time, the day of the rain was stolen. A day when our land would be shrouded in dust and a fierce heat. A time of great imbalance.” The people of Atwon looked very concerned. Babies cried, older children were fidgety. Something was very wrong. The harmony they knew for so long was gone. “Who had taken the rain?” Shenna was determined to find out.

Early one morning while mother and father were busy trying to figure out how they would survive without water Shenna and Brock snuck away. How would they bathe? What would they drink and use for cooking? What about their animals and crops? Mother and Father were trying to figure that all out, while Shenna and Brock made a clean escape. Shenna put Brock on top of their father’s old nag. Brock slid into the sag on the horse’s back. “We’re off on an adventure,” he smiled.

“How do we bring the rain back?” Brock asked his bigger sister. She was older, she knew everything. Feeling the pressure to know, Shenna concentrated until the squiggle in her brow released with the excitement of an explanation,“Well, we must journey to where the water comes from?” “Where is that?” asked Brock. Shenna’s squiggle furled and unfurled, “we must go to a natural spring, a place where the water comes from deep underground not from the sky.” “Oh,” said Brock, never doubting his sister’s wisdom for one second.

They traveled for hours under the sweltering heat. “I’m thirsty,” complained Brock. Carefully rationing out the precious drinking water, Shenna gave Brock his portion for the day. Brock drank it down fast. He didn’t see the concern on his sister’s face. She hoped they would find the natural spring before they ran out of drinking water.

The sun set they found a place to camp, and still no spring. Shenna sang Brock to sleep, and only when he was fast asleep did she cry. She spoke to the moon. “Moon, I’m lost. I don’t know where the spring is and we are out of drinking water. Please help us.” The Moon did not answer Shenna, but she knew it would, so she settled into a deep and wondrous sleep. (To be continued.)